Drying substances, preparation and use thereof

• US 20100226824A1
• Filed: 03/03/2009
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oridion Medical (1987) Ltd. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Oridion Medical (1987) Ltd. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Colman, Joshua Lewis, Cohen, Eyal, Dishon, David, Ophir, Amos
• Granted Patent: US 9,067,035 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/84
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0836 Measuring rate of CO2 production
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/085 Gas sampling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0875 Connecting tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/142 with semi-permeable walls separating the liquid from the respiratory gas
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/43 Composition of exhalation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2323/38 Graft polymerization
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/228 characterised by specific membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/28 Selection of materials for use as drying agents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/364 Membrane distillation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 67/0093 Chemical modification
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 67/00931 by introduction of specific groups after membrane formation, e.g. by grafting
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/125 In situ manufacturing by polymerisation, polycondensation, cross-linking or chemical reaction
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/28 Polymers of vinyl aromatic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/281 Polystyrene
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/34 Polyvinylidene fluoride
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 255/00 Macromolecular compounds obtained by polymerising monomers on to polymers of hydrocarbons as defined in group C08F10/00
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 257/02 on to polymers of styrene or alkyl-substituted styrenes
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 259/08 on to polymers containing fluorine
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 283/06 on to polyethers, polyoxymethylenes or polyacetals C08F283/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/123 Treatment by wave energy or particle radiation C08J7/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/02 : not modified by chemical after-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/02 : Organic macromolecular compounds, natural resins, waxes or and bituminous materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/06 : Homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated hydrocarbons; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 51/003 : grafted on to macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving unsaturated carbon-to-carbon bonds C08L51/04, C08L51/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 53/025 : modified

Abstract

There is provided herein a dryer polymer substance comprising a polymer grafted with a compound having sulfonic groups, wherein the substance is adapted to pervaporate a fluid such as water, water vapor or both. There is further provided a process for the preparation of a dryer polymer substance adapted to pervaporate a fluid, the process includes processing a polymer into a desired form, activating at least a portion of the polymer, and grafting the activated portion of the polymer with a compound having groups adapted to be sulfonated.

Claims

1. A dryer polymer substance comprising a polymer grafted with a compound having sulfonic groups, wherein the substance is adapted to pervaporate a fluid.

2. The dryer polymer substance according to claim 1, wherein the fluid comprise water, water vapor or both.

3. The dryer polymer substance according to claim 1, wherein said polymer comprises a polyolefin, a fluoro-polymer or a combination thereof.

4. The dryer polymer substance according to claim 3, wherein said fluoro-polymer comprises poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) or any derivative thereof.

5. The dryer polymer substance according to claim 1, wherein said compound having sulfonic groups comprises sulfonated styrene, sulfonated polystyrene, sulfonated styrene copolymer or any derivative thereof.

6. The dryer polymer substance according to claim 1, wherein said dryer polymer substance comprises poly(vinylidene fluoride)-graft-poly(styrene sulfonated acid (PVDF-g-PSSA) or any salt or derivative thereof.

7. The dryer polymer substance according to claim 1, wherein the percentage of grafting of the polymer prior to sulfonation polymer is in the range of 20-50%.

8. The dryer polymer substance according to claim 1, wherein the percentage of sulfonation of the dryer polymer substance is in the range of 40-100%.

9. The dryer polymer substance according to claim 1, wherein said dryer polymer substance comprises a membrane.

10. The dryer polymer substance according to claim 1, wherein said dryer polymer substance comprises a dryer tube.

11. The dryer polymer substance according to claim 10, wherein the tube has a water uptake of over 100% at a temperature of 22°

C. and at 34% humidity, wherein the internal diameter of the tube is 1.0±

0.1 millimeter (mm);

the outer diameter of the tube is 1.24±

0.02 mm and the length of the tube is 50 mm.

12. The dryer polymer substance according to claim 10, wherein the tube has a water evaporation rate of over 150 micro-liter/hour at a temperature of 22°

C. and at 34% humidity, wherein the internal diameter of the tube is 1.0±

0.1 millimeter (mm);

the outer diameter of the tube is 1.24±

0.02 mm and the length of the tube is 50 mm.

13. The dryer polymer substance according to claim 10, wherein said dryer tube has an essentially circular internal cross-section.

14. The dryer polymer substance according to claim 10, wherein said dryer tube has an essentially circular internal cross-section and a non-circular external cross-section.

15. The dryer polymer substance according to claim 10, wherein said dryer tube has a non-circular internal cross-section and an essentially circular external cross-section.

16. The dryer polymer substance according to claim 10, wherein said dryer tube has a non-circular internal cross-section and a matching non-circular external cross-section.

17. The dryer polymer substance according to claim 1, wherein said dryer polymer substance comprises a dryer tube, wherein said dryer tube comprises an inner conduit, wherein the internal cross-section of at least a portion of said inner conduit is essentially non-circular and adapted to collect liquids in proximity to the inner walls of said inner conduit and thus allow an essentially free of liquids flow in said dryer tube.

18. The dryer polymer substance according to claim 17, wherein said cross section of said inner conduit is essentially similar to an n-point star, wherein n is an integer having the value of between 2-10.

19. The dryer polymer substance according to claim 17, wherein said cross section of said inner conduit is essentially similar to an n-petal flower, wherein n is an integer having the value of between 2-10.

20. The dryer polymer substance according to claim 1, having an ultimate tensile strength of about 20 MPa or more.

21. The dryer polymer substance according to claim 1, having Young'"'"'s modulus of about 150 MPa or more.

22. The dryer polymer substance according to claim 1, exhibiting ultimate elongation of 80% or more.

23. A process for the preparation of a dryer polymer substance adapted to pervaporate a fluid, the process comprising:

processing a polymer into a desired form;

activating at least a portion of the polymer; and

grafting the activated portion of the polymer with a compound having groups adapted to be sulfonated.

24. The process according to claim 23, wherein the fluid comprise water, water vapor or both.

25. The process according to claim 23, wherein the polymer comprises a polyolefin, a fluoro-polymer or a combination thereof.

26. The process according to claim 23, wherein the fluoro-polymer comprises poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) or any derivative thereof.

27. The process according to claim 23, wherein the groups adapted to be sulfonated comprise styrene, polystyrene, styrene copolymer or any derivative thereof.

28. The process according to claim 23, wherein the dryer polymer substance comprises poly(vinylidene fluoride)-graft-poly(styrene sulfonated acid (PVDF-g-PSSA) or any salt or derivative thereof.

29. The process according to claim 23, wherein the percentage of grafting of the polymer is in the range of 20-50%.

30. The process according to claim 23, further comprising sulfonating the groups of the grafted polymer, thereby obtaining a polymer substance adapted to pervaporate water.

31. The process according to claim 30, wherein the percentage of sulfonation of the dryer polymer substance is in the range 40-100%.

32. The process according to claim 23, wherein activation comprises irradiation.

33. The process according to claim 23, wherein processing comprises extruding, molding or both.

34. The process according to claim 23, wherein the desired form comprises a tube and wherein the resulting dryer polymer substance comprises a dryer tube.

35. The process according to claim 34, wherein said dryer tube has an essentially circular internal cross-section.

36. The process according to claim 34, wherein said dryer tube has an essentially circular internal cross-section and a non-circular external cross-section.

37. The process according to claim 34, wherein said dryer tube has a non-circular internal cross-section and a matching non-circular external cross-section.

38. The process according to claim 34, wherein said dryer tube has a non-circular internal cross-section and a matching non-circular external cross-section.

39. A breath sampling system comprising:

a dryer polymer tube comprising a polymer grafted with a compound having sulfonic groups, wherein the tube is adapted to pervaporate a fluid; and

at least one of;

a connector adapted to connect said dryer polymer tube to a breath sampling tube; and

a reinforcement element.

40. The system according to claim 39, wherein the fluid comprise water, water vapor or both.

41. The system according to claim 39, wherein the connector, the reinforcement element, or both, are molded with the dryer polymer tube.

42. A method for the preparation of a tubing system adapted for water pervaporation, the method comprising:

molding a polymer into a form of a tube having at least one connector adapted to connect to one or more additional tubes, at least one reinforcement element or a combination thereof;

activating at least a portion of the tube; and

grafting the activated portion of the tube with a compound having groups adapted to be sulfonated.

43. The method according to claim 42, further comprising sulfonating the groups adapted to be sulfonated, thereby obtaining a tubing system comprising a tube adapted to pervaporate water and at least one connector adapted to connect to one or more additional tubes and/or at least one reinforcement element.